


Red Lobster

by audiaphilios, emmawalters



Series: From Tumblr With Lo-- [10]
Category: Check Please! (Webcomic)
Genre: Collaboration, Explicit Sexual Content, Future Fic, M/M, Rare Pairings
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-06-05
Updated: 2016-06-05
Packaged: 2018-07-10 17:08:43
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 5,802
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6997087
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/audiaphilios/pseuds/audiaphilios, https://archiveofourown.org/users/emmawalters/pseuds/emmawalters
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>This sprawling collaborative rare-pair tale spawned from asking a simple question: “Which SMH player is most likely to join the NHL next?”</p><p>@emmawalters replied "i will sell my soul for Dex in the NHL. but realistically I think Holster, chowder, or dex could go."</p><p>And we were off.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue: Where we begin to hash things out

**Author's Note:**

> Main section written by @emmawalters, second part by @audiaphilios
> 
> [Can be found on tumblr here.](http://audiaphilios.tumblr.com/tagged/red-lobster)

for me dex 100% plays on the devils. there is no real, honest to god good reason for this. I’m just a massive devils fan and so that’s where he’s gotta play. 

but the team isn’t the most important thing here, broski. The most important thing is that if we know nothing else, about dex, we know he was, like, dirt poor growing up. Imagine him on draft day, and he didn’t expect to ever get this far, but his parents are there and he’s going second round, and dex puts on the devils jersey and he just- he can’t stop smiling. because hockey was everything to him, for a while. It was what got him out of bed in the morning and what made summers of lobster fishing worth it. 

and he gets his signing bonus and he cries, because dex doesn’t know what to do with all this money. so he calls his parents, all while crying, and he demands to be allowed to pay of their mortgage. (because he wants to buy them a new house, but he knows theyd never let him). and then he figures out where all his younger siblings want to go to school, and he looks them right in the damned eyes and says that if they can get in, they’re going to go there, and they shouldn’t ever let money stop them. 

and I feel like he’d spend a little bit of time down in the AHL at least, on their farm team, so he’s in Albany New York, and he spends a bit of time just going “??!!?? what the fuck do I do” so he calls up jack, the only guy in the world of professional hockey he wants to ask for advice, and Jack tells him to get a dog. (Well, what he actually said was find someone he could talk to and depend on, and that would help being all alone in a new city, but Dex knows what he’s about. Dex is getting a dog.)

enter boomer, a two year old Bernese mountain dog who was found just wondering in the middle of new york. Dex walks into the shelter and he sees him and it’s love at first sight. (when he’s travelling, dex’s older sister, Mary, who didn’t go to college, and instead is trying to become an author, comes down and house sits for him and loves the shit out of boomer. he’s the best dog, he’s literally perfect.)

and the first time he gets called up to the NHL it’s in a game against the falconers, because of course it is. So they lose, because I place the falconers above the devils in the metro division like the dirty dirty traitor I am, but jack wants dex to hang out afterwards, (and tater is there, and dex is struck by how nice he is? and tall? and _cute_ , but there’s no way dex just thought that.) (help, I have discovered another ship and now need to explore the dynamic of taterdex)

he finally goes up to the NHL full time after about three season with the Albany devils? and then after two season with the NJ devils, he gets traded to the sharks for a forward. (which he gets, because offensively their team is really lacking.)

Chowder, of course, is ecstatic that one of his best friends is playing for _his team_. and so maybe he visits the team _all the time._ or at this point, maybe chowder is also playing for the sharks, and they discover they still have incredible on ice chemistry, and dex still thinks tater is a tall glass of water, but now that jack and parse have come out hes much more chill about it? he thinks he might even come out soon? 

 

* * *

 

Tater’s only, what, two inches taller than Dex? That is SUCH easy kissing height, only a bit of a chin lift. And Dex is not familiar at ALL with men being taller than him. Even Nursey (a couple of drunk hook-ups their senior year, despite what he thinks the team suspected) only met his eyes. He’s used to be the gangly one.

But Dex has filled out as a pro D-man. And he’s always been good at taking checks, so there’s nothing to explain how short of breath he gets when Tater checks him at their last game. Checks him and _winks_.

Who even winks?!


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> written by @emmawalters

Sometimes dex wishes he were just a little bit shorter, too? not like, bitty short, but enough that it was easier to curl up in tater’s arms? because the thing about tater is he makes you feel _safe_. he’s just so large and gentle and warm, it’s impossible not to fall in love with him, at least a little.

And tater checks him, and fuckin’ _winks,_ and dex spends a solid two minutes after the line change wondering what the fuck just happened and how this is even his life. (he’d make a joke about how he doesn’t get paid enough for this, but he definitely, 100% does. he gets paid an insane amount to play _hockey,_ for gods sake.)

and his teammates chirp him about it later, because they think tater was messing with him, but jack texts him after the game, (this one they can’t hang out after, because as jack eloquently put it, “bittys back from his internship in france for the week.” there is no further explanation required.) and he’s like “youre single right?”

and dex is worried he’s gonna have to come out to jack right the fuck then, but instead, there’s a follow up text.

“tater won’t shut up about how cute you are. please go on a date with him and get him to leave me alone, at least for tonight. Please, bro.”

and that’s how dex and tater end up having their first date. dex is trying to help a bro out and jack is trying to get laid w/o having to ignore taters slew of texts


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> written by @audiaphilios

“Great, I’m giving him your number. Expect to hear from him shortly.”

Dex sits down on the edge of his hotel bed and stares at his phone. They’ve got a couple free days before their next game, which he was planning on spending with his family, who’d traveled down to Providence to see him play. But he’s already begged off for the evening, pleading the need to recover, and now he’s agreed to meet with the man who caused that need to recover, for… what? Drinks? A date? A hook-up?

He’s honestly not sure if he’d object to any of the above, but he’s not sure if he’s got the presence of mind to really think this through. On the plus side, this means he can’t over-think it, but…

A buzz interrupts his train of thought, and he glances down at his phone. The screen is dark. The buzz sounds again. Dex looks around the room. That’s when the knocking starts.

Wondering if maybe he hit is head harder than he expected, he gets up and walks to the door. When he sees the tall Russian on the other side of the door, he’s abruptly glad he hadn’t had time to change out of his post-game press gear.

“ _Morkov*_!” the Russian cheers when Dex opens the door. “You’re here!” He throws an arm around Dex’s shoulders. “You look good, very sharp, yes.” A squeeze around his shoulders. “Sharp and strong!”

Dex can feel himself blushing, and honestly, he’s not a kid anymore, but Tater–Alexei?– makes him feel like a teenager all over again.

“Um, hello, hi. I…expected you to text?”

“You did not come out with us! Was with your teammates, nice guys, and my teammates, nicer guys! Ha ha! When Jack said okay, I come to bring you downstairs. In lobby, at bar!”

Dex wonders suddenly if he misunderstood Jack’s texts, or if Jack misunderstood Tater’s interest. But Tater’s still got his arm around Dex’s shoulders, and smells less like alcohol and more like clean man, and Dex decides he’s honestly okay in seeing where this goes. They start walking down the hall towards the elevator.

“I was with my family, sorry.” He offers a bit of truth with his smirk and a shoulder nudge. “Told them I needed to spend the night recovering from getting hit by some big Russian goon.”

Tater’s arm drops from his shoulders, suddenly, and he’s ready to object when Tater’s grabbing him gently by both shoulders and turning so they face one another.

“You are okay? Do you stay in room tonight? I can. I have number, if you are hurt. I can wait and see another time?”

Again, this man manages to startle Dex, and they’ve been interacting for all of, what, ten minutes? Three hours, if you include that blasted wink?

His face softens to a smile. “It’s okay, really. Let’s go down for a bit. It’s good.”

Tater’s face breaks into a grin, and his arm slides back around Dex, his waist this time, as they begin walking again. “Yes, good,” he says, leaning in to whisper in Dex’s ear, breath ruffling the short hairs. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> * _morkov_  - Google Translate tells me this means carrot. 


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> written by @emmawalters

Down at the hotel bar, Dex really isn’t any less confused, but when they’re in the public eye, and Alexei moves his arm, Dex thinks he gets it. Because there’s an art, really, to being an athlete in the closet. It’s all about putting up the right act, and fooling the right people. And Dex knows what that looks like, has seen it in Jack and practices that art himself.

And as they’re sitting at the bar, Dex notices that neither of them really drink much. For all that he’s heard rumors of Alexei’s alcohol tolerance, he seems to be sticking to beer.

“So what was up with the wink?” Dex asks eventually, because the question has been clawing at the back of his throat since it happened.

“I am trying to impress, you know? Maybe not work so well, if you hurt.”

And Dex has never seen a look that sad on a man with that strong a jaw. He wants to reach a hand up and hold that jaw like an anchor while kissing Alexei on the cheek. His hand twitches, starts to make the motion, but it stops, and Alexei notices, watching the movement. The eye of the public has never felt so limiting.

“Maybe you could come upstairs, and try to impress me again?” Dex asks, and it’s the bravest he’s been since joining the NHL. If Nursey is in town, they’ll hook up, but Dex hasn’t asked a man upstairs since he was even a prospect for the draft. If Alexei says yes, they will hold in them the ability to ruin each other. It’s a choice they both have to make.

“I think that sounds like great idea,” Alexei says, and his voice is lower, now, hoarser.

Dex has a feeling he’s going to be both very impressed, and very sore, in the morning.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Here there be smut. Feel free to skip this chapter if you're not so inclined; nothing plot-worthy happens.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> written by @audiaphilios

For as collected as both men might have seemed downstairs, as the elevator climbs, Dex can feel the tension ratcheting. He wants desperately to make small talk of some sort, appear natural and comfortable about this, but he’s almost positive his face has fallen back into its defensive scowl, jaw tight, eyebrows drawn. He’s almost startled when he feels knuckles brush the back of his hand. He’s been staring determinedly at the elevator door, Alexei leaning casually against the wall to his left. He casts a quick glance at the Russian, trying to rearrange his face and frame an apology, but Alexei cuts him off.

“No,” he says. “I like this.” His eyes are dark, his face intent, his voice is low. All the friendly energy is now tightly-coiled and narrowed, focused at Dex. “Is game face. You look hungry.”

“Christ, Alexei,” Dex bites out as the elevator dings and the doors slide open.

“Yes, I like that, too. Come.”

Dex’s hands are steady when he opens the door, conscious of the heat of the larger man crowding behind him. Once the door is closed behind them, he turns and presses Alexei to the door, hands pinning his shoulders, thigh slotted between his, mouths pressed hotly together. His aggressiveness seems to startle a half-laugh from the taller man before Alexei positively melts against him, mouth soft against Dex’s assault. Dex doesn’t feel like he’s drowning so much free diving in the open ocean, forcing his muscles and lungs against the drag.

“Fuck, Alexei,” he murmurs as the man slides out of his grasp, down along the door until his big hands are framing Dex’s hips, then moving in towards the clasp of his dress trousers.

“You look good like this. This suit. On the rink. Your hair, dark with sweat. Your neck–” Alexei breaks off with a curse that must be in Russian as he finally gets Dex’s trousers open and his boxers down around his ankles.

“Fuck, Dexy,” he says in English, burrowing his face into the curls surrouding his cock, “your hair!”

Dex himself is swearing as Alexei swallows him down. One arm presses against the door as the other hand slides through brown hair to cup the back of his skull, fingers tightening and releasing as Alexei works his mouth around him. Alexei’s face is rapturous, eyes tightly shut until suddenly they’re not, and his gaze meets Dex’s directly. Instinctively, Dex tightens the hand at the base of the other man’s neck and pulls him away just in time, his come shooting across his face and re-closed eyes as Alexei’s large hand works him through it. 

Gasping, Dex’s knees give out and his hands are on Alexei’s face, guiding him to Dex’s mouth as he grits out curses and apologies, cleaning himself off of Alexei’s face with hands and mouth, desperate for the man again despite having just come.

“Fuck me,” he says against Alexei’s jawline, running his tongue along it as he’d wanted to run his fingers in the bar.

“Yes,” he replies, and then, “First.”

Alexei’s large hands are pushing him away, turning him, guiding him down to his elbows and he’s forced to bury his face in the carpet and howl as Alexei’s hands spread him wide and he buries his face against Dex’s ass. His mouth is still sloppy from the blow job, and his tongue is strong, pressing and working against him, and his thumbs pulling at and massaging the edges of muscle. Underneath the filthy slickness of it all, Dex can feel the faintest rasp of new stubble against his most sensitive skin, and he thinks he might be crying with pleasure.

“Dexy, now,” Alexei says, moving to his feet and reaching to bring Dex with him. Dex gets his head about himself long enough to wobble towards his bag, grabbing the bottle of lube he’d really only expected to use on himself this trip, before turning back to the bed. Alexei’s lying against the headboard, nude, slowly stroking his cock as he watches Dex move, and Dex has to re-evaluate the ways in which this man can ruin him.

He moves to the bed as quickly as his legs allow, and Alexei reaches out for him, guides Dex to straddle his legs. 

“You are okay?” he asks. “Not hurt? You are okay?”

“Yes, Alexei, _fuck_.” 

At both his name and the swear, a broad grin spreads across Alexei’s face, turning predatory at the edges. He settles Dex above him and takes the lube, slicking up his fingers before reaching between Dex’s legs. He tests the muscle briefly before sliding two fingers in easily, Dex still loose from Alexei’s tongue. His other hand reaches behind Dex’s head and pulls him down for a kiss. A third finger is added, stretching and twisting. Alexei pulls back from the kiss after Dex begins rocking against him, panting into his mouth. His cock is already firming again, and Alexei reaches his free hand towards the bedside table for a condom that Dex knows wasn’t there when he left the room earlier.

“You brought a–” He’s not sure whether to be shocked or insulted, so he settles for grateful.

“Is good to be safe, yes? I will not hurt you.” 

As far gone as Alexei looks, as far gone as Dex himself feels, he can see the sincerity beneath it all, and Dex knows he’s in trouble. 

“Fuck, yes, good. So good, now.” He’s rocking again, having stilled at the revelation of the condom, but his body is impatient and growing hotter. He takes the condom himself and opens it, rolling it carefully down Alexei’s cock, really touching the man for the first time tonight. Alexei groans, and Dex bends back down to kiss him. Against his mouth he whispers, “You’re so good to me.”

“Dexy, please,” Alexei murmurs as he twists his fingers one last time, then moves both hands to Dex’s hips.

Dex has one hand on Alexei’s shoulder to steady himself, and the other on Alexei’s cock to steady him, as he moves forward and slowly sinks down. Sighed curses fill the air between their mouths, and then they’re moving.

Dex hasn’t been fucked in years, more used to being expected to top, and he’s glorying in the rush of riding Alexei, controlling depth and speed and angle until the other man’s breathing is reduced to harsh gasps. Alexei’s hands tighten on Dex’s hips but don’t direct, and when Dex slows down a bit to give his thighs a rest–christ, was he really on the ice four hours ago?–Alexei’s fingers slide down the curve of his ass, to his crease, to the place where they are joined.

“Dexy, can I–?” Alexei moves quickly, holding Dex to him as they roll, and Dex is suddenly on his back, knees pressed to Alexei’s hips as the man gazes down at him. “This is good?” He shifts his hips against Dex, who moans loudly.

“Yes, Alexei, fuck, yes, please,” he says, crossing his ankles behind Alexei’s back as he starts to move. 

It doesn’t take long for Alexei to find a rhythm, and then he’s adjusting as he shifts up onto his knees more, holds Dex’s legs up under his arms. He’s deeper now, and faster, the sound of their bodies colliding turning Dex on almost more than the feel of Alexei hitting his prostate on every other thrust. 

Dex’s second orgasm washes over him before he even knew to look out for it, and as he tightens around Alexei’s cock he hears the other man give a shout, can feel him pulsing against the muscles at his entrance, and Dex rides the bliss.

When he remembers that blinking is a thing that can be done, he finds that his legs have been lowered to either side, and Alexei is collapsed half on top of him, face buried in the pillow as his hands provide a nice massage to the overworked muscles where Dex’s legs meet his hips. He may let out a whimper.

Alexei stops, raises his head to look at Dex.

“You are good?” 

Dex offers him a rare, lazy smile, endorphins still pumping through his system.

“You are good,” he replies, and Alexei booms out a laugh, the sound loud but comforting in the stillness after the storm. He shifts and slides out of Dex, both men inhaling deeply at the sensation, then rolls to the side as he removes the condom. 

Dex doesn’t feel inclined to move at all as Alexei puts the condom on top of its wrapper on the bedside table, then rolls back over to gather Dex in his arms. Dex is languid, relaxed in a way he’s not sure he’s ever felt, and he’s more than happy to snuggle into Alexei’s arms, to tuck his cheek against the other man’s.

Dex knows his alarm is set to his usual wake-up, more than early enough to get ready to see his family for brunch, so he lets himself drift off to Alexei’s steady breath against his ear, the heartbeats slowing in tandem.


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> written by @emmawalters

It takes Dex a moment to figure out why he’s uncomfortable, as he drifts back into consciousness. There’s something on the inside of his thighs, and he’s unusually warm, and there’s a hand clinging to his hip.

 _Oh,_  Dex thinks. _That’s right._  Tater is still pressed up behind him, which means that this might not be the sort of thing where they ignore each other and walk away. He wouldn’t have pictured Alexei as the type for one night stands, anyway, but now, he has thinking to do. 

Because Mashkov is a beast on the ice and hilarious on the Falcs social media, but Dex really doesn’t know more about him than that. Is “seems like a solid bro” a good enough reason to start secretly doing… whatever it is they would be doing with a member of another team? Would it make games awkward? 

There isn’t much time for him to worry about this, because soon his alarm is going off, and Alexei is stirring next to him. 

“Why so early?” He asks, and Dex turns to watch him rub the sleep out of his eyes. (There is a part of him, not far below the surface, that knows he could do this everyday. That he deserves to be happy and that this, this right here, could make him happy, probably. That if nothing else, it would be something worth exploring. He puts this part of him on hold, for now.)

“I’m having brunch with my parents,” Dex says. “It’s easier for them to visit here than it is Newark, and we’ve got a bit of a break.”

“So you will be busy then, yes?” And it should not be possible for a grown man to look so dejected. A quick mental check through his schedule says that he’s free tomorrow night, and in what Dex knows could very well be the best or the worst decision of his life, Dex decides to no longer have tomorrow night free.

“Get dinner with me tomorrow,” he says, running a hand up and down Alexei’s arm. “Nothing super fancy. Just… dinner.”

And the answering smile he receives may be brighter than the sun.


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> written by @audiaphilios

Brunch with his family is not the unmitigated hellscape he would have expected after an evening of hard-hitting hockey followed by a night of very athletic sex. With the Russian responsible for the hardest hits.

Dex sits down next to his sister with more caution than is actually warranted, but his family is willing enough to attitribute it to the game.

“That Mashkov really gave it to you, didn’t he, sweetie?” His mother winces sympathetically while Dex tries to control his hysterics. He manages to choke down the sip of water he’d been in the middle of. Naomi side-eyes him suspiciously as his face goes bright red, and he hopes she assumes it’s the coughing.

“Yeah, sorry, yeah. Still a bit rattled from him–from his hit. Definitely feeling it this morning.” He wishes they could stop talking about this, but before he can turn the focus on Naomi’s grad school courses, his dad cuts in cheerfully.

“Seems like a nice guy, that Mashkov. For a goon. Your mom and I watch those Falcs TV shows sometimes–”

“Dad!” Dex interjects, hoping he sounds more scandalized than panicked.

“–haha, no no, you know. Devils will always be our favorites, son.”

“It’s just that nice Jack Zimmermann was always so kind when we came down for Parents’ Weekend,” his mom chimes in.

“And he’s not hard on the eyes, either,” chirps Naomi.

“Oh come on now, you guys. He was my captain!”

“Ooh, then you’ve seen him shirtless!”

“Mimi!” Dex’s cry is echoed by his parents.

“But really, I was talking about that Tater. I wouldn’t mind him pressing me against the boards, is all I have to say.”

“Christ, Mimi,” Dex moans miserably, burying his face in his hands. “Can we change the subject now?”

“Sure thing, big bro. With a mouth like that on you, when was the last time you went to church?”

“Oh, like you have room to talk!”

“Children,” their father’s tone of voice is one they instinctively obey. “Now, where all are we going today?”

His family settles into a spirited discussion of the sights to see in Providence before they make the three-hour drive back to Maine that evening. When his phone buzzes, he takes a look at it beneath the table. It’s an unfamiliar number, but the sender is unmistakeable.

_Was good to wake up with you. I make you breakfast tomorrow._

Dex can feel his face heat up again, and it takes him a moment to register that his mother’s calling his name. Naomi has a smirk on her face that he chooses to ignore for the moment.

“Sorry, ma, it’s a hockey thing. Let me just–” He types quickly, trying to keep his face from being too revealing. 

_Sounds good. What do you want to do for dinner?_

His phone buzzes again twice after he returns to the debate between art museums and historical homes, but he ignores it in favor of asking how the WaterFire was the night before. His hand twitches towards his phone, and his mom laughs.

“Answer it, honey.”

“Oh, it’s not that important– it can wait. Let me just settle the check and we’ll head out of here.”

Dex slides out from the table to go catch their waiter, and looks at his phone while he’s waiting for his card to be processed.

_Come to mine, we decide there. Order food or go out?_

The second text message is simply an address.

Dex collects his card and signs the receipt before replying.

_I’ll see you there. 7pm?_

He doesn’t make it back to the table before his phone buzzes again.

_See you then, Dexy._

Will puts his phone away, draping his arm around his sister’s shoulder as they walk out of the restaurant. She nudges him softly in the ribs when their parents move ahead of them, consulting their phone’s map for the first destination.

“You gonna introduce us to him?”

“Shut up, Mimi, it’s nothing like that.” Dex actually feels pretty relaxed now, more than he’d been at the table earlier for sure. He’s going to see Alexei again tonight. It’ll be…good.

“Oh ho, so you’ve got a fuckboy?” 

“Jesus Christ, Meems, where do you even learn these things?” He drops his arm from her shoulder as if in disgust, and stomps up to join their parents. Naomi’s laughter follows him, but he doesn’t really mind.


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> written by @emmawalters

Naomi doesn’t let him forget that she knows who he texted earlier. Not that she knew he’d been texting Alexei, just someone he was interested in. (Dex remembers the horror of trying to come out to her. They were so close in age people thought they were twins. Ten minutes of trying to describe being gay without actually saying it were followed by twenty minutes of Naomi laughing about the fact that he couldn’t say the word gay. Younger sisters will always be the worst.)

Mary would have let it go. She was probably at his house right now, petting his dog and not butting into what may very well be the beginning of his love life. Naomi will be reminding him of this while they’re on their deathbeds.

If his parents notice that he’s more distracted than usual, they don’t say anything. If they notice that he keeps looking at his phone, and finds himself disappointed when there isn’t a new message there, they don’t say anything.

Naomi says it for them.

“Let me guess, you tried to seduce them with a formula, and it didn’t work out?”

“You had to rehearse asking your boyfriend out for months and still got what you wanted to say wrong, and you’re talking about my love life success. Glass houses, Mimi. I wouldn’t start in with the stones just yet.” 

She smiles at him in the way she does when she knows she’s gotten to him, and from there the day carries on as normal. He say goodbye to them all having mostly forgotten how to be anxious about tonight. But then as he’s entering his hotel room, it happens all again. Because against this door, and on that floor, and in that bed, he has vivid memories of last night. His bruises have bruises, at this point. And tonight, he’s going to be in Alexei’s apartment. Alexei is going to be cooking for him.

This is the first honest-to-god date Dex has had in years, and in a moment of desperation, when he knows that Bitty is likely unavailable, he calls up the only other person he can trust to give him fashion advice.

“I have a date tonight,” Dex tells Lardo as soon as she answers the phone. “I have a date and I’m living out of a suitcase and I have no idea what to wear.”

“Well,” Lardo says, “First things first, tell me _everything.”_

Like a good friend, Dex does.

 

“I played a game against Falconers, and then suddenly, through the power of Jack, I was hooking up with Alexei Mashkov? And now I’m having dinner at his apartment tonight. He’s cooking me dinner.”

“You’re literally the worst at telling stories, you know that, right?”

“And yet you still ask for them every time. Just get on with your questions.”

Dex can hear her laughing on the other end of the phone.

“All right, all right. Was he good?” And Dex can feel the blush creeping up his neck, down his back, and over his cheeks. Lardo always asks questions like this first, not giving him a chance to prepare for them. In the end, honesty is always the best policy, he decides.

“So good, Lards. So good.”

“A repeat performance is what you’re hoping for, then?”

Is it? Sure. The real question, Dex knows, is whether he wants more than that or not.

“At the very least,” he settles on after a moment of thought.

“The text me what you’ve got, and I’ll tell you what to wear, but I’m certain you didn’t call just for fashion advice.”

Now, Dex is thinking about his word very carefully.

“How… How do you decide you want to date someone, if you don’t really know them?”

Lardo is so quiet that Dex thinks she hung up on him, until he hears a slow breath out.

“The obvious answer would be that you get to know them first, Dex.”

“And if we don’t like the obvious answer?”

“Then you date them anyway. Live your life, follow your dreams, get some good dick.”

Well, Dex thinks to himself. That’s a pretty simple set of instructions.


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> written by @audiaphilios

For someone living out of his roadie suitcase, he's proud that he and Lardo managed to put together something respectable that didn't look like he just came off post-game press. Though Alexei hadnt complained last night.

Either way, he's grateful he'd planned for a couple extra nights in town with his family, even if he's putting the clothes he packed to entirely different use.

Now he's trying to keep cool while climbing out of a cab and approaching a house that's definitely more impressive than his own condo, which resembles the Hause more often than he'd really like. He's got a growing dog, and during the season all bets are off. Mayr's told him to just go ahead and get a housecleaner, but he's still not comfortable enough with his wealth to be okay with that. Although he's probably only one more argument about "think how much it mattered that Mom could supplement her income when we were kids!" before he caves.

Sufficiently distracted from his nerves, he finds himself already at the door, knocking as though he hasn't been stressed out about this for the past ten hours. The nerves creep back as the seconds pass and there's no sign of life from inside the house. The porch light is on, however, and it's only at that point he realizes there's a doorbell. He reaching to push it when the door opens. His brain stops, but his body finishes the motion as he stares at the man in front of him, doorbell echoing in the background.

Alexei is a mess.

He's wearing a t-shirt and sweatpants and half-drenched. There are suds in his hair, a fresh cut on his cheek, and a suspicious swelling on his forehead. Dex moves into the house and hands are on him before he finishes processing the thought, one on his shoulder and the other brushing over his hairline trying to get a better look.

"Are you okay?" 

Alexei doesn't really look  _hurt_ , though. Just...embarrassed?

"Well. I was... _Katya_ was not happy in the bath."

Dex's hands fall to his sides as he steps back and closes the door as an afterthought. He can feel his brow furrowing, but tries not to let his face jump to conclusions his brain hasn't formed. Alexei continues to look embarrassed, and that's when Dex notices the tears in his shirt, as well as the...fur?

" _Kartofelina._   _Katya_. Is my cat. Was trying to get her fur nice, but..." His long arms are capable of making very expressive gestures, encompassing his face, clothes, and the entirety of his house. Which Dex now notices looks like a tornado ripped through. Yes, a cat seems just about right.

"Well, let's get you bandaged up first, then we can talk about dinner." This is the man who absolutely wrecked him last night, Dex tries to remind himself. This man, with his dopey brown eyes and grateful smile and...

Dex sighs and steps into Tater's arms, raises his chin--and isn't that a novelty!-- to place a soft kiss on his lips. Those large arms wrap around him, and they stand there for a minute, trading gentle kisses. Dex finally disentangles himself and just looks at the man. Alexei seems to have gathered himself a bit, or maybe lost a little of himself and his nerves in the kiss, because his smile is warm and familiar and the look in his eyes is less goofy than a moment before. Dex takes his hand and turns moves them both away for the door.

"Now, give me the tour on the way to your first aid kit. Maybe we can make peace with--Katya? What was the other name?"

Alexei laughs and squeezes Dex's hand as he tugs him further into the house. " _Kartofelina_. Is joke, yes? Like English-- _Katya_ , and feline!"

"So  _Kartofelina_ means cat?"

"Haha, no," Alexei smiles, and a bit of Tater-from-Falcs-TV is peeking through. "Is meaning 'potato'."


End file.
